Schwannoma of the nasal septum: An unusual finding

Abstract

Schwannomas of the nasal cavity are rare benign tumors, and those that arise from the nasal septum are even rarer. When they do occur, they usually become symptomatic early because of the close confines of the nasal cavity. We describe a case of nasal septal schwannoma that was noteworthy in that the patient-a 28-year-old woman-waited 8 months after the onset of symptoms to seek medical care. Her symptoms included complete right-sided nasal obstruction, occasional epistaxis, and hemifacial pain. The tumor was completely removed via an endoscopic approach. We discuss the clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and treatment of this rarely encountered neoplasm.

Introduction

Schwannomas are rare benign tumors that can arise from the nerve sheath of any myelinated nerve. About 25% of all schwannomas are seen in the head and neck; of these, less than 4% are located in the sinonasal tract.1 In this location, they have been reported in patients between the ages of 6 and 78 years; there is no predilection for either sex or any race.2

ENT Journal provides full text articles to our registered members.
Please log in or sign up for a FREE membership to view the full content: